Machine for straightening and grooving cans



March 15, 1927. 1,621,079

B. A. MOHR MACHINE FOR STRAIGHTENING AND GROOVING CANS Filed July 30, 1926 INVENTOR Patented Mar. 15!, 1927. V

1,521,079 Arr-c r7.

BERNHABDA. MOI-IR, on NEW YORK, NJlY;

MACHINE FOR STRAIGHTENING AND'G-ROOVING CAN Application fi1cd J'u1y:30,.1926. Serial 'No.--1 25,972.

My; lIIVQDtlOIIl relates to machine for straightening buckled cans, and for formingegrooves-in cans toreinforce the-cans againstzbuckling; My machine is particu- 5 larly' adapted-,for the treatment of cans'in which: cakes of artificial ice are frozen '31.".z

thoughit will :beobvious that it could be used'sfor other. cans as, well.

Gansusedin ice-making,- plants are usuallysof rectangular cross-section,,but taper slightly" fromaelarger cross-section at the mouth to'a smaller cross-section at'the-bottom, so thatafter the iceis. formed, the can maybe slightly,warmedato-free the ice cake from the can; after which the ice will .slide out. freely fronrthe can. In service, however, vthe cans are soon battered and buckled to. such an extent :asto prevent the easy re moval of.t he'ice-'cake,eand oftenconsiderable walls, probably b'ecausethe. broad walls are more flexible thanathe narrow side walls and.

hence will. yield. enough. to permit the ice cake-to slide outbygravity; Furthermore,

it is the-general practice to tipup the cans Ononeof'the narrow sides, when sliding.

outthe ice-cake, hence any unevenness in the.v

narrow sides will more surely prevent slide inggofthe ice cake out .of the can;

It isa-an objectofmy invention, therefore, tozprovide'a machine which is particularly adapted for: straightening the narrow side walls .ofv an. icecan;

I have found that by forming a groove.

in the narrow walls of the can and running grooves-ain' :the ;--walls ofrthe can. .While my machine-is:particularly; adapted for use; on

the. narrowiwalls. .of the can it;-will be dun'der-i stood that; with slight. variations in dimen-- sionszit'. could; also be used for grooving the The cans; are. usually not square in.

from top'to bottom of the can, I'can not only smoothout any irregularities in said walls,. but: also: reinforce the walls against future buokling,: and :hence another object of .myinvention isto. providenneans for forming f provide a n'achinek which will straighten. and groove opposite I walls of the can simultaneously.

A further object of my invention is tow prov de means for formingthe groo-vekpro gressively froinone end of the 'oan to the other, so thatless effort will be requiredto operate the machine.

A'still further object of myinvention is to provide a simple and inexpensive may chine for performing the operations outlined,

above.

With theseand other objects iniviewimy- 1nvent1on-consists in certainrnovel features of construction and combinationsand are rangenientsof parts, as -will bemore-fullyhereinafter described and pointed .out;in the claims. i 4

In the accompanying drawings,

F g. l-is aside elevation of my improved straightening and grooving ;maohine,- show-. mg the machine in: open position,- certain:.' parts being broken away; i

Fig. 2 is a sideelevation -of themachine partlybroken away, illustrating; the method of straighten-ingand groovingaa can,.the.;

can being shown in section;

Fig. 3 shows a cross-section taken :on. theline 33 of Fig. 2; and v Fig. 4 is a perspective viewofa: can greoved by my -machine.; in general my machinecompriseewfired aw A, an upper movable jaw B, and an in. termediate movablerjaw or canv carrier-G.

Tl18 fi2i6d jaw'A is preferably; formed-of two channel beamslO, 10, riveted or otherwise secured in relatively spaced. relation to a pair of transverse channel irons 1l,-

. whiclrserve as feet. A blade 12 isfitted be.-

tween the members-1O and projects 'fronithe upper face of the jaw= A, being. secured;- thereto by means of bolts 13; Securedvsto the upper face of thejaW: A and. on'oppo i site sides ofthe blade .12, are a pairh-of cheek 1 0 plates 14. r 7 e The upper jaw-B is similarly formed-of. a pair of channel beains l5,-between which, is fitted a blade16;secured bybolts-17, the latter=serving also to clamp the membersjl5 1 together. The blade -16-.projects from the lower face of the B', and ioneoppositesides of theb1ade, ch'eek plates 18 arese+ cured to-the members-15.

The-carrier C serves to carrythecans: 11 that are to be grooved, and consists of: an, upper pair; 19 and a lowerpair:2O;gof1channel irons secured to intermediate spacers vide a link 36 hinged by a'pin' 37 to the 21. The'channel irons of each pair are spaced apart, as indicated inv Fig. 3, to provide a slot 22, into which the blades 12 and 16 may press the metal of the can to form the grooves. It is essential that the carrier C should fit snugly into the cans and particularlyagainst the walls that are to be 7 "grooved, and, as different makesof cansare apt to vary slightly in size and taper, the spacers are removably secured to the mem bers 19 and 20, so that they can be readily replaced with others of a different size. It'

will be understood that the spacers 21 are of progressively difierent height, to give the carrier C the necessary taper to fit the cans.

" As clearly shown in the drawings the carrier jaw C is much shorter than the jaws A and B. Secured to the under face of the jaw C and at the rear end thereof, is a hinge block 23 which is recessed to engage I a hinge pin 24 seated. on a block 25 carried on the upper face of the fixed aw A. On the upper face of the jaw C, directly above the block 23, is a hinge block 26, in which is 7 seated a hingepin 27.. Engaging the pin 27 is a hinge block 28 secured to the under face of the jaw B. The aws are tied together to prevent the hinge blocks from slipping ofi' the hinge pins, by means of tie rods 29 wh ch connect a transverse plate 30 secured to the upper face of jaw B, to

a similar transverse plate 31 secured to the bottom of the jaw A. s The tie rods are aligned with the hinge pins 24 and 27 when the jaws are in closed position, as indicated in Fig. 2, and the tie rods are sutficientiy flexible to permit the jaws B and G to swing to the open position shown in Fig. 1.

The upper flangesof the'ch'annel beams 19 and the lower flanges of the beams 20 are extended rearwardly and are curved to form rockers 32 and'33 which bear against the upper faceof the jaw A and the lower face of the jaw B, respectively. The channel beams of jaw B extend well to the rear of the hinge pin 27 to provide a counter weight which automatically swings the jaw to open position. As the jaw swings open it engages the rocker 33 causing the jaw C to 7 swing on the hinge pin 24 to a position intermediate between the jaws A and B, as shown the jaw C is also provided with a counter weight which may consist of a heavy rod 34, secured in any suitable manner tothe jaw. If desired a weight 35, indicated in broken lines in Fig. 1,may be secured to the rod 34.

'At the forwardend of the machine I projaw A, and a link 38 hinged by a pin 39 to the jaw B. A'bifurcated lever 40 straddles the outer end of the link 38 and is fulcrumed thereto by means of a pin 41. The lever is formed with hooks '42, adapted to be caught under oppositely projecting ends of a pin 43 secured in the outer endof the link 36. On the opposite side of the fulcrum from the hooks 42, the lever40 is pro vided with a shank 44. s

In operation the jaws B and C are allowed to swing open to the position shown in Fig. 1, and the links 36 and 38 are swung'out of the way to the position shown by broken lines; then a can that is to be straightened and grooved is placed on the jaw C. Such a can is shown in section at 45, in Fig. 2. Thereafter the links 36 and 38 are moved to the full line position shown in Fig. 1, and the jaw B is swung down until the hooks 42 can be caught under the pin 43. To provide additional leverage for operating the machine an extension lever 46 is provided, which has a socket into which the shank 44 may be snugly fitted. The extension lever may consist'of a piece of pipe. By the use of an extension lever a very powerful leverage is had for drawing thejaw B down and pressing the blades 12 and 16 into the can. Owing to the angular move- .ment of the jaws B and C the blades 12 and 16 do not instantly contact with the can throughout their entire length, but engage near the fulcrum first and as the jaws close the point of contact progresses out toward the front of the machine. By thus forming the groove progressively instead of instantly throughout the whole length of the blades,

less power is required to operate the aws.

The cans are usually formed with a bead 48 at the mouth to stifien them. The cheek plates 14 and 18 are made of a length to clear this bead and press the metal of the can firmly against the bottom and top, respectively, of the carrier 0, so as to form well defined grooves 47. As the grooves are formed in the can the metal of the can is stretched and the buckled portions are smoothed out; the grooves then reinforce the walls of the can and stiffen them against buckling.

When pressure on the lever 46 is released the jaws B and C open by gravity to the position shown in Fig. 1, so that on swinging the links 36 and 38 out of the way the can 45 may be readily drawn off the carrier jaw. If desired one of the grooving blades, preferably the lower one, can be omittechand the grooving can then be done onone side at a time, thus reducing the amount of power.

requisite to operate the jaws.

very heavy walls. 7

While I have described my invention as This might be found necessary in the case of cans with fined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the character described, a relatively fixed jaw, a movable jaw fulcrumed to move toward and from the fixed jaw, a support for a can angularly movable intermediate between and in the plane of said jaws, said support being formed with a slot, and a grooving blade carried by one of said jaws and cooperating with said slot to form a groove in the can;

2. In a machine of the character described, a relatively fixed jaw, a movable jaw fulcrumed to move toward and from the fixed jaw, a support for a metal can angularly movable intermediate between and in the plane of said aws, said support being formed the blade to hold the body of the can against 7 the support during the grooving of the can.

3. In a machine of the character described, a relatively fixed jaw, a movable jawfulcrumed to move toward and from the fixed jaw, a support for a can angularly movable intermediate between and in the plane of said jaws, a grooving blade carried by each jaw, the'support being provided with slots respectively alined with said blades, cheek plates on opposite sides of each blade, and means for moving the movable jaw toward the fixed jaw, whereby the blades will be moved angularly into engagement with the can to progressively groove the can on opposite sides thereof simultaneously.

4:. In a machine of the character described, a relatively fixed jaw, a movable jaw fulcrumed to move toward and from the fixed jaw, a support for a can angular-1y movable intermediate between and in the plane of said jaws, a grooving blade carried by each jaw, the support being formed with slots respectively alined with said blades and cooperating therewith to form grooves in the can, means for closing the movable jaw upon the support and the support upon the fixed jaw to form said grooves, a counterweight for opening the movable jaw, and automatic means for moving the support to open position intermediate between the jaws.

5. In a machine of the character described,

fulcrumed on the fixed jaw, a movable jaw fulcrumed on the support, and tie rods alined with said fulcrums and connecting the movable jaw with the fixed jaw.

6. In a machine of the character described, a relatively fixed jaw,va support for a can fulcrumed on the fixed jaw, and a movable jaw fulcrumed on the support, the fixed and the movable jaws having extensions rearwardly from the fulcrums and the support being formed with rearwardly extending rocker arms engaging said extensions and so formed as to maintain the support in an intermediate angular position between the jaws when the movable jaw is swung open on its fulcrum.

7.A machine of the character described,

comprising a relatively fixed jaw and a relatively movable jaw, and a carrier jaw mounted to move intermediately between said fixed and movable jaws, said carrier jaw being adjustable to fit cans of different sizes. V

8. In a machine of the character described, a relatively fixed jaw, arelatively movable jaw, and a support for a can mounted to move intermediately between said jaws, said support comprising an upper beam and a lower beam, and spacing members between said beams and removably secured to said beams.

9. In a machine of the character described, a relatively fixed jaw, a support for a can fulcrumed on the fixed jaw, a movable jaw fulcrumed on said support, a pair of links connected respectively to the forward end of the jaws, a pin secured to one of the links, and alever fulcrumed to the other link and adapted to engage said pin, whereby the lever may be operated to close the movable jaw against the support and the support against the fixed jaw.

BERNHARD A. MOHR.

'65 a relatively fixed jaw, a support for a can 

